Would You Be Happy or Sad If This Happened to You?

Would you be happy or sad if this happened to you? The summary:

Fred DePasquale bought a selection of tickets in the $1 million lottery and handed them out to family.

Yesterday, the 38-year-old pharmacist who essentially gave away $1 million to in-laws for Christmas, was having no second-thoughts. He was delighted to give the winning ticket. The in-laws, whom he won't name for the time being, were delighted to get the winning ticket.

In other words, he bought lottery tickets for Christmas and one of them was a $1 million winner. He says he's very happy for his in-laws:

And no, for the cynics out there, he's not wishing he'd kept the ticket for himself.

"All it was to me was a $20 ticket in my hand," he said. "That's like giving a shirt for Christmas and asking them if you could wear it New Year's Eve."

Really? Not even a bit of "if I'd only..."?

How about you? If you gave your in-laws a $1 million lottery ticket, would you be happy for them (and yourself) or would part of you wish you'd have kept it for yourself?

And what about the opposite situation? If you were given a winning ticket, would you share it with the person who gave it to you?

Comments

[That One Caveman]

I'd be delighted if a ticket I gave won some serious money and I wouldn't brood over whether they would share. That is something that's completely up to the recipient. I know that if we won a sizable sum (meaning more than we need to significantly pay down debts), that I would be more than happy to share. Heck, if I won $1,000 or more, I'm pretty sure I would share some (or at least take the giver out to a VERY nice dinner).

When I met the woman who would become my wife, her in-laws introduced me to their tradition of giving scratch-off tickets as stocking stuffers. It's an entertaining diversion and it always turns into a competition to see who can win the most money. In the 7 Christmases I've shared with her family, my wife has been the clear winner by far. She's won nearly a total of $100 in that time. Sure, in all it's a losing proposition, but it's certainly more entertaining than a standard lottery ticket!

[susan]

Fred is a generous soul but I think in all fairness, the in-laws ought to give him a percentage of the winnings. A gift of that proportion can cause rifts in the best of families if reciprocal compensation isn't at least offered to Fred, say $25,000.00?

[Jen]

This is why I don't buy lottery tickets for people. I would love it if someone won off a ticket I got them, but a part of me who want to kick myself!

[Jennifer]

If I were to give the winning ticket, I certainly wouldn't expect anything in return, except a thank you from the receiver. I would be happy for them. Of course, I think I would be a little envious of their win, but I wouldn't expect anything in return. If I won from a gifted ticket, I would certainly do something special for the giver, whether it was a nice dinner, a percentage of the winnings, pay off a debt for them, or something that would show my appreciation in winning from their gift.

[Kevin]

I'd be happy, but would secretly be hoping the winner would spread the wealth to the giver (me).

[Tom]

A while back, our payroll gal here at work emailed and asked if anyone needed anything before she went on vacation. I of course being a smart a** emailed and said "yes, I could use $1million" and could she leave it on my desk before she left?. I came back from lunch and there was an Ohio Lottery ticket for the pick-6 game with a little smiley face drawn on it.

Well the ticket sat out on my desk all weekend and when I checked the numbers on Monday turns out it hit 5 of the 6 numbers, netting me a nice $987! I called the girl at home and told her, but she didn't believe me until I gave her half the winnings (after paying taxes) in cash!

I can't imagine not sharing half with the person who bought the ticket. That would be soooo selfish.

[Ryan]

I couldn't give a lottery ticket as a gift period because most of my relatives that would appreciate recieving a lottery ticket have gambling addictions that I don't want to encourage.

[BeyondtheConsumer]

A lottery ticket is a pretty lousy gift if you ask me! Instead getting a gift, the get a 1,000,000,000 to 1 odd that they're getting a gift.

[escapee]

I'd NEVER give my in laws a lottery ticket for this precise reason!

[Jo]

I think lotto tickets are fine, their great for that person who has everything or as a generic gift for a gift exchange/game.

I'll be honest that I would be happy for the winner, but I would have some regrets for not keeping it myself and I would secretly hope they would give me some of the winnings. If I recieved a winning lotto ticket as a gift I would do something special for them or give part of the winnings if it was a sizable amount.

[MMJ]

No regrets here. It is a gift.

[Katy Raymond]

My son and his wife (non-gamblers) received $20 worth of lotto tickets in the extended-family (mostly addicted gamblers) gift exchange. They ended up with not a red cent for Christmas.

Then my niece gave my elderly mother $15 worth of tickets for Christmas. She lives in a nursing home. They got stolen from her room before she could scratch the darn things.

That said, if someone gave me a winning ticket and I won more than a few dollars, I would give them half. But no way am I buying them myself! (And for the record, I don't think I'd feel as nice as this guy did after my in-laws ended up with a cool mil.)

[bryan]

if someone gave me a lotto ticket that was worth big money, id give them half. a few thousand or less, im keeping it and noone would ever know...

[aa]

Great, in-laws will never ask us for $ in the future!!!

[The Money Junkie]

If I was the person who received the lottery ticket, I would without a doubt offer a portion to the person that gave it to me. And if I was the person who gave them the lottery ticket (which I would never do because I do not buy lottery tickets), I would secretly be hoping the person would give me some of the winnings :)

[Jake]

Giving a relative a lottery ticket is like giving them an "I'm with stupid" t-shirt.

[Rhea]

I have to admit, I would feel awful if I gave away the winning ticket. If I won, I would definitely share it with the person who gave it to me.

[Kiran]

My girlfriend and I went to a casino in July. I spent some on dinner and such.

We alternated picking slot machines for awhile. She picked one machine, I put five dollars in, and we ended up winning around 250 on it. She felt that the winnings should be split evenly. I felt that I should get the hundred I brought that day (for dinner, gas, drinks, and dancing) and the rest was hers. She had the good luck!

[Kiran]

The point being that the person who had the luck of buying the right tickets ought to get something!

[DCS]

Given what I've read about how many lottery winners end up (broke and worse off than before they won) I would be happy for them, but also extremely worried they'd end up living in my guest room in five years.

If I won on a gift ticket I'd be tempted to give it back and see what the giver decided to share (although that's easy to say without a million dollar winner in my hand).

[Chief Family Officer]

I'd be thrilled. But then I have a good relationship with my in laws, and I know they'd share the proceeds with us (or more specifically, my children). If it was a more distant relative who probably wouldn't share the jackpot with me much, I have to admit that I'd be less enthusiastic.

[oimcherry]

I'd be thrilled either way - giving or receiving the ticket!

I think it's only human nature, that for just one second you think....oh man that could have been mine. In my case, the joy of knowing that I gave it to someone I know would overtake that greedy thought.

If I were on the receiving end, yes I would share 10% of the after-tax proceeds with the giver. It's a nice gesture and a big thank you!

[Rami]

Keep in mind that he's a pharmacist working for about 15 years making approximately $110k/year. Sure, another 1 million is great, but after taxes the in-laws are left with $600k. Do you think he really needs it? Maybe his net worth is 1 million already. Maybe his in-laws need it more than he does. We don't know the details to his situation.

[Meg]

If a family member gave me a winning lotto ticket, I'd make sure to give them at least 10% of it, maybe more depending on the situation. If it was a coworker or a gag gift from some other random person, I might just keep it a total secret that I won. If the word got out or if that person needed money in any way then I would give that person 10% as well.

If I gave someone a winning ticket I'd probably be a little (or a lot) bitter depending on the amount unless I was rich and that person needed the money. I would probably expect at least a small "token" of appreciation from that person--or I'd prefer to never know they won!

[Kenny]

From the GIVER> There should be no expectations.

From the RECEIVER> There should be a HUGE THANKS and some sharing to show they care for the GIVER by setting their kids up on a College Education Plan, 1/2 of Car Payments, Payment of R.Estate Taxes for life etc.

From US Watching> It is their business, and it depends upon how close the GIVER was to RECEIVER from a relationship, sharing, caring, love/like, size of family, Needs on both sides (one too far in debt and already too rich) etc.

From a BLOG Perspective> The above opinions are of good value, but we are just talking about an 'internal family event' (good one or bad one), so lets not become too involved and avoid poking our nose too deep!

Kenny